


In The Garden

by SamReiGel



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 08:39:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10918272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamReiGel/pseuds/SamReiGel
Summary: After defeating Orphan, Lightning didn't wake up from crystal stasis.





	In The Garden

**Author's Note:**

> I thought up of this story the first time I finished playing the first game, a long time ago. I never tried writing it. Now that I feel my skills are better than when the idea came up, I decided to share it just for fun. Tell me what you think.

Today was the day, he knew it. He had been coming here every day for the past ten years, hoping she would wake up. He had faced all the stages, felt every kind of emotion it would evoke, thought of every probability that could likely come out of the situation.

The day they saved Cocoon, they all met the same fate of a L’Cie and turned to crystal upon completing their focus. Fang and Vanille held Cocoon in place with their mighty crystal pillar, while Snow, Sazh, Hope, and Lightning were crystallized on Gran Pulse down below. By some miracle, they were released from their crystal stasis, except Lightning. Lightning didn’t wake up from her sleep, as though she went to the same place as Vanille and Fang.

Vanille and Fang had always had different focus than the rest, and it was clear enough why they didn’t wake. But Lightning? Why didn’t she wake up?

A garden had been built around the crystallized soldier, in commemorating her great sacrifice in saving Cocoon and to be remembered forever as a saviour. Although the garden was decorated with every breed of flower they could gather, each with its own unique fragrance and beauty, they still could not outshine Lightning’s crystal splendour. It had been built to forever protect her legacy, yet Hope knew the effort would all be in vain.

He was sure she would wake up at first. He waited for the first few days in firm belief that she only needed more time. Serah would join him sometimes, but eventually accepted the fact that Lightning would only awake years after they’ve gone. Hope wouldn’t accept that. It was his first stage of denial. In the scorching sun and pouring rains Hope walked to her garden, and waited for her every single day.

There was so much he wanted to say to her. He wanted to thank her for toughening him up. For putting up with his weak pathetic childishness in the beginning, and instead of saving herself from him she taught him, showed him the way, made him someone with hope and vision. He wanted to say all the things he wished he had said in their times of travelling Gran Pulse, how impeccable were her skills in battle, how strong her will was to survive, how radiantly she shone in the morning sunrise and how incredibly alluring she was in the light of the setting sun. Even in the dead of night, she seemed to radiate her own light that he always knew where to find her. Over time, in their journey crossing the vast lands of Pulse, discovering the magnificent sceneries and new places he still could not look away from her, because all the beauty in the world could not match hers.

He didn’t say anything then, because he thought he was still weak. He was just a boy to her, a pupil with such a long way to go. He felt he needed to do more, he needed to pass her level first, he needed to be a man before he could take her. Who thought there would be no more time for them?

After three years he started to lose hope. He had his doubts before, but he would always get back up by remembering her words, her encouragement that lifted him up in the beginning of their journey together as L’Cie. This time, it was bad. What if she really isn’t waking up? What if she will only wake up together with Fang and Vanille, thousands of years from now? Him coming every day won’t change anything. She doesn’t know he’s there, she isn’t aware that there’s someone coming to see her every day. Mere visitations and one-sided talking sessions won’t melt her crystal.

Then Hope started to get angry. Why won’t she wake up? Why doesn’t she want to see him? Is the other place that much better than here with everyone else? With him? Why isn’t she trying to get back? Where had her unyielding will gone? She was always stronger than him. Why doesn’t she want to come back?

After that came sadness, came grief. There was nothing in the world that could bring her smile back to life. He wept for days, not bothering to go back and rest. He stayed there and wept endlessly. He was on his knees begging her to wake up, embracing the cold and hard crystal that used to be her warmth. But he could not remember her warmth anymore. His days were solidified crystal, and his nights full of phantom voices of Lightning waking him up to show him the painful truth until morning. It was a merciless cycle that tortured his very soul.

On the very last day, he asked her again. He implored her to wake up and look at him again with those eyes, the ones he had been longing for as far back as he could remember. With all the strength he had left, he asked her in his softest voice to wake up. But the crystal statue stayed still. The very little bit of hope in him faded and Hope wept his last tears.

Then came acceptance. Hope came to agree that Lightning wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon. With all the words gone in previous years of his unreciprocated conversation, he bid his short farewell. He told Lightning that he would come back the day she wakes up. He swore that he would be there when she wakes up. It would be him that she sees first, even if it was his grave.

Since then, Hope worked hard and eventually became the leader of the Academy. He led mankind to prosperity in his man-made society, and the people have never been happier. People looked up on him seeing as he attained the role of their leader at such a young age. Even so, Lightning had never left his mind, and he had come to terms with it. It didn’t bother him, in fact it became his new Focus. Even if he were never to see her again, she would see him and his legacy. That was the least he could do.

Then one day he woke up, he knew. Perhaps it was a God-given grace of idea that Lightning would wake up today, or just him missing her, but Hope was sure she would see him today. He didn’t feel the need to rush as he donned his clothes and got ready, because one way or another they would definitely meet.

Hope went to Lightning’s garden once again. When he got there, he stood in front of Lightning’s crystal statue and waited patiently. Would she recognise him? How would she look at him? Will she accept him? Then Hope shook his head and abandoned all thoughts. He focused on his Light.

Lightning’s crystal suddenly shone brilliantly, but Hope didn’t look away. The crystal crumbled and fell apart, disappearing before they scattered on the ground. Lightning was released but Hope put his arms around her before she could fall. He could feel her warmth, he could smell the sweet scent coming from her rosy hair that finally shone colour after years of transparency. He had missed her so much. He didn’t dare to breathe for he was afraid as if any wrong move would take her away from him again. Lightning opened her eyes and breathed. Before long, she pulled away and looked at him.

He could finally see those blue-eyes that he loved so deeply. Her skin was so soft, and her lips plump in pink. She looked exactly as he remembered.

“Light…” he smiled softly.

It took her a moment. Then recognition sparked in her eyes and in the voice he had been longing to hear again, she said “Hope…?”

He didn’t care, he had waited ten years. He hugged her tightly. He put his hand around her waist and pushed her head to his chest, burying his face in her sweet-scented hair. She felt so small. It seemed as if she was thinking the same thing.

“What happened…?”

He pulled away slowly and let her take a good look at him. He took every second to admire her, simply smiling warmly.

“You look so… different” she said.

“You were asleep for ten years” he said slowly.

“Ten?” she looked around “where are we?”

“We’re in your garden. They built this for you”

She kept silent. He could see that she was processing a million questions in her head, and in her confusion he chuckled. She looked at him again as if noticing him for the first time. He realised she was looking up at him, unlike before. It seemed she was thinking that too.

Now she is just much cuter than he remembered. It was probably because he was now bigger than her.

“I have a feeling you’re not going to tell me the whole story straight, right now”

“No, I won’t” he agreed “I’ll show you on the way”

“On the way to where?”

“My place” he smiled.

Lightning stared at him. He wouldn’t take his eyes off her. Never again. Slowly, he clasped his hand on hers. She didn’t resist and simply looked at him, too confused to make rational out of things.

“Let’s go” he said, and Hope finally took Lightning out of the garden.


End file.
